Minneapolis Institute of Art

Power Object (bocio)

Fon artist

Medium

Terra-cotta, wood, cloth, mud, beads, metal

Culture

Fon

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

For the West African Fon people and their neighbors, reality consists of complexly interwoven vital powers that emanate from gods, spirits, and ancestors. Followers of the Vodun religion believe that these sacred forces can be placated, domesticated, and even manipulated through the use of objects. Vodun objects, like this elaborate figure, are often displayed on a small platform in plain view in a public courtyard. They function as temporary abodes of the sacred forces, that ward off evil and provide aid and protection. Benin

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